1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toy balls, and more particularly relates to toy balls having incorporated therein an illumination device for viewing the ball when play is engaged during nocturnal hours. The present invention is still more particularly related to balls in the form of footbags, in which the footbag is provided with an illumination system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Balls are particularly well suited to a great many different kinds of games and sports. Of course, balls for particular games and sports are shaped, textured and weighted differently as that application best suits. In any event, play is generally confined to those hours of the day when sufficient light is available to clearly see the ball; otherwise, a lighted playing field is required.
One class of balls that is of particular concern to the present invention is a footbag. An example of a footbag is the HACKY SACK, which is a registered trademark of Wham-O Corporation, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,994. Footbags are generally constructed of an outer leather casing having a diameter of about three inches, which is filled with small bead material. This construction results in the footbag having a pliant but non-resilient response to contact with objects, in particular the players' feet.
In the prior art there have been attempts at providing an internal illumination device for a ball. Examples of these devices are as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,893 to Newcomb et al, dated Jan. 11, 1977, discloses a ball having a translucent plastic skin and an internal electrically operated illumination system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,649 to Newcomb et al, dated Oct. 30, 1984, discloses a ball having an inflatable, translucent skin. At one end an apertured fitting allows for insertion of an activated chemical light stick, while the opposite end has an inflation fitting. As the ball inflates, the apertured fitting tightens around the chemical light stick, resulting in an air tight seal. To remove the chemical light stick, the ball must be deflated. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,158 to Pennisi, dated Jan. 5, 1988, which is considered to be the closest known prior art, discloses a footbag that is constructed of soft translucent plastic filled with fluorescent pellets. A hole is provided in the plastic skin for inserting an activated chemical light stick thereinto. A plurality of holes are provided in the plastic skin to assure an inelastic interface with any surfaces it may contact.
The prior art fails to adequately address the continuing need in the art to provide a footbag which permits easy insertion and removal of a light emitting device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,839 requires batteries which are notoriously heavy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,649 is too complicated in that it must be inflated each time a new chemical light stick is used; further it is ill-suited to use as a footbag. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,158 is impractical in operation, in that there is no apparent provision for retrieval of the chemical light stick once it has been placed therein.
Clearly, therefore, what is needed is a footbag incorporating a simple and effective means to removably interconnect with a chemical light stick.